Extensible fire ladder and elevator



May 29, 1945- M. HONIG EXTEQSIBLE FIRE LADDER AND E1'.|F.'.V. %TOR Filed April s, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 1 .l j I INVENTOR Monms Home I ZORNEY May 29, 1945. M. HONIG 2,376,875

EXTENSIBLE FIRE LADDER AND ELEVATOR v I Filed Api-il 8, 1943 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Moams HomG BY 3 aToRmaY May 29, 1945.

Q ei'i k9 3 3O 7 F14 P/SE) 6o 66 M. HONIG EXTENSIBLE FIRE LADDER AND ELEVATOR Filed April 8, 1945 5- Sheets-Shejet :5-

INVENTOR I 190 Monms Home Ag-ToRNEY y 9, 1945. M. HoNl; 2,376,875

' EXTENSIBLE FIRE LADDER AND ELEVATOR Filed April 8, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 .CD @flez'zija k9 1&6 84

INVENT 3 ATII'CE-RNEY May '29, 1945. M; HONIG EXTENSIBLE FIRE LADDER AND ELEVATOR 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 Filed April 8 l'llnvlIlll:\\ll.l.\\:uillil|llllll. 11.411.11.11..- \llllllllllllllllllllt$l!lllll1llll|1Qxlllzxll f.

INVENTOR MoRms Home B E AT o RNEY Patented May 29, 1945 v 2,376,875 t I EXTENSIBLE FIRE LADDER ANnELEvAroR I g Morris l ionig, BronxQNi Y1; I

I Application April 8, 1943, Serial No; 482,262

(creat -s);

. acclai This invention relates to extensible fire ladders.

havin elevators associated therewith for facilitating the removal of persons fr'om the upper stories of buildings. One of the objects-of theinvention is to provide a device of the character described "which is wholly operable by'rernotecontrol either from the structure upon which the ladder is mounted, the elevator which travels up and down the ladder, or any'mo'mentarily desirable'point oi van- 'tage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having highly improved, simplified, compact and positive means foractuating the ladder and elevator car without cluttering up the ladder.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a device of the character described in which the various means for actuating the elevator and ladder are so arranged that they may be simultaneously operated without interfering "with each others action. I t

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in which a compensating system enables the elevator to remain in a fixed vertical position while the ladder is either extending or retracting.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in which jamming of the means for actuatingthe ladder and elevator is effectively prevented.

An additional object of the invention is to incorporate all the foregoing advantages in a, ladder of the character described comprising more than two relatively movable ladder sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide" a device of the character described which comprises relatively few and simple parts, is highly rugged in construction, easy to operate; and eflicient for the purposes set forth.

01 the ladder;

dotted'lines various raised and extended positions Fig. 2 is a top plan view'ofthe apparatus shown Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of. the ladder in raised and extended position, leaning against the side of a building, and with the elevator positioned to receive persons emerging froma building window;

. Fig. 4 is'a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-40! Figl-S; v 'Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken' substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

"Fig. 6-is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 5; 1

Fig; 7 is an enlarged sectionalviewtakensubstantiallyalong the line 1.-'-'|of Fig.5an'dshowing the lower compensating sheave on the ex ten'sible ladder section;

stantially'al ong the line 8 8 of Fig. 5 and'show ing the upper compensating sheaves on the fixed and extensible ladder sections;

" 'Fig;-9"is a sectional view taken substantially my invention;

Other objects'of my invention will in part be 5 obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown various possible embodiments of this invention, t i Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view ofan extensible fire ladder and elevator embodying my invention, there being shown in full lines the retracted, fiat position of the ladder and elevator, and in Referring now to the drawings, and paralong the line's-9'01 Fig. 5' and showin the compensating system which enablesthe' elevator to remainin a fixed vertical position as'tl eladder is extended;

Fig.10 is 'a top plan view-in partial secfiiqii'of the ladder base with the turntable remOvedjQ-f Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detailviewof thelimit switch forpreventing over extension or' over re,- traction ofa ladder;

. Fig. 12 is a detail view of the limit switch f or preventing overraising di f over loweringf of' 'the ladder; I ,p If;

Fig:xl3 isa front view of araised;ahd, u 1y extended ladder embodying fa' i'nodifiedf torn; ,fof

Figfli is an enlarged sectional view. therethrough taken substantially'along the line 1.4+ of Fig. 13 withthe ladder fully retracted;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view .takenfsubstantiaily along the lin la -46 ofFig.1 5.; I v I ticularly to Figs. 1e I 1 have there disclosed an apparatuslll embodyingfm invention. and

comprising a combined extensiblefire ladderjz and elevator 14 "mounted on a supportingstruc- 'ture l6,,si1chas the wheeled chassis of1 a;fire

'ladderftruck which" includes a heavy turntable base It held by bolts :0 (Fig.5) to. the chassis I 6. Said base isprovided withan apertured pa'rsubstantially F'ig..8 is an enlarged sectional view taken' siibi is; a sectional view taken substantially 1 1 mounted any suitable; fashions-as {or-example being permanently fixed to a rocking shatt 38-;

inthe turntable base-l8 andthe clampi -balll.:bearings 54 which permit'th'e ladder .1! to} scopically; received within the channels 30-; :32 of 1 for'the elevator in'all'positions, of the twosladder j the rear edgeof the'floor,saidboardbeing d t- The extensible ladder [2 consists essentially of apluralityof ladder sections, such for example as the lower orvfixed ladder section 26, and the upper or extensible ladder section 28.. The lower- 1 most ladder section 26 includes a pair of spaced 'U-shaped channels 30, '3,2"'(Fig. 7), whose open sides face each other. Rungs 34 (Fig are welding,.ito v the front face ofjith ifr'ontz flanges 3 of the channels 32. Mounting ears 36 (Fig.1 6) are rigidly secured in aligned relationshipt I the rear flanges of the channels -ill 2 adjaoent 1' the bottom of the ladder, said eers receiving and This: shaft extends beyond the ears to either side.

' of the ladder and is journall'ed intrunnions' 4'0 which are carried onpedestals 42 (Figs. 5 and.9) The shaft is'fixed by a pair ofcollars44, 46, one} ,of which. has'an. integral .dr-ivingaarmfima. (Figs. v3 and 9) Which is used to angularlyj:rais.e the ladder; The: -pedesta1s,:42 vare bolted: toi'ga- -turn- 1 table top haying a depressed annular periph- 16117152 which is seatedbetweenhtheipartition 22 The partition! 2., turntable peripheryfland plate 14; are-severally .providediwi th grooved ball-bear ing races in which there'are disposedxheavy duty be easily swung about-the'basefl. v :1.

, ;The extensible vladder section 28,-: which may, have a a configuration generally :similar "to that] piuthe fixed laddervsection 26, comprises :a pair of spaced U -shaped channels 56,-58 .-(-:F i .-:8) :whoser .open sides face each other; 'l'hejrungs. 60.1 carr-ied onj. the iippernfiosl; section" 28.: however. are} L secured; to the rearfacefof thefront. fiangerso 5 asv not to interfere with th'ej'rung 34ionzthealower j .mostladder section 2t.v TheWebs-ofwthexsh'an 1 ,nelsifi, 7.58, are bellied-inwardly 1to;accommodate and concealcabies hereinafter described, 1 for lifting the elevator 16. ,Thechannels'cfifi; 58 of: theiuppermost ladder section are snugly zand'telee: thelowermost section and the reanfianges-ofthe i several channels, have, their --ti-p's in re istration I (Fig. 8) so as to provide a continuous railsurface Sections-. U w zf zg y 1 The elevator J4 (Figs. 4; and 5) may comprise 1 an open vbox of rectangular shape-wwhichgisuslidable along the extensible ladderl 2 and {P VQta'Hy movable, relative thereto sogthatit; freelycan swing to.vertical ,position; when; the ladder-d2: is ii inclined. Any suitable elevator mountingmay :be-provided for this purpose, for exarruale;that shown and described 'in rnyll nitedStates-Letters Patent No. 2,249,900, dated July ;22-, 1941-3 -An- On theendsof whose-four arms coplanar-rollers; i .66 are ,iournalledl,.Thes truck hasten;integrat rearwardly extending arm] 8. to: pivotally attached a lug -'Ill \welded to iiSl i tailboard 1.4 may; also ibe swamp 'cpnnc edi Edi-t0 be swun over a window-si-llpflf a" bi lq sy brid e t --upon rotation of the shaft *82 and'motor [00in sengers' are entering the elevator... Both the tailboardand ladder may have simple gravity latches I6 which are adapted to cooperate with catches.

18 on thecar to retain the same inupright position when they are not being'used. 'It will be noted that in this position they serve to close the open side of the car. If desired, a dashpot mechanism 80,- pivotally connected to and interposed between the truck 62 andthe elevator car, may

be employed to dampen swaying of thecar.

In accordance with my invention, novel means is provi ded to extend and retract the ladder rapidly without using cables or the like near the gages a'tapped collar 84 at the end of a fishtail. 86 (Fight!) pendant from the bottom of the uppermost ladder section 28. Atube 88, carried by ,the plates 89- (Fig. 8) extending rearwardlyfrom the rungs 60 on said extensible ladder section,

completely houses the threaded rod 82 whenethe two ladder sections are fully telescopedwig 5) and at such timesupports the-entire rod. When the-ladder sections are extended this supDOIt-is unnecessary becausethe rod then has two widely spaced bearing points, one aof which i the tapped 'collarj84 and the other a journal box 90' (Figs. 5 'and:6) ;in whicha reduced end portion 92 of the rod 82 is borne.

tion. ,A counter-weight (not shown) may also be enclosed in the casing.v It will be-obvious that one direction the upper ladder section 28 ,will

I .be extended, and upon reversal of-the direction ,0! rotationof the motor said section will be --retracted.

.Meansis also provided to swing or traverse the ladder about the base .18. Said means may comprise .a reversible electric motorlM (Figs.

451 and =10) having a self-contained reduction ."lg'earing and supported on th bottom of the turntable 50. The drive shaft [96 of said motor means provided to raise and lower the ladder,

,thatisQ-to revolve the ladder about a horizontal axis comprising the rocking shaft 38. Said means includes a reversible electric motor H0 (Fig. 10) I aving? a. L selfcontained -reduction gearing. and

other .suitableumountingtcomprisesa trucl; 62-9300.

motpr hasa, vertical drive'shaft. l'l'2 which is mounted on the bottomof the turntable 50. This journalled intermediate-its endsin a thrust bear- .ing j'l lt iixedto the turntable top and at its tip 'in,another thrust bearing- H8, carried by -an 1 .-arm;.l2ll extending from one of the pedestals 421 A tapped collar l22', which -is threadedly received on the rod H4, has an offset lug-J2 pivotally connected :by .a;linkl26 to the drivm srm 48 of the rockin'g'shaft. 38,. It will be apparent that when the rod H4 revolves in ens v I direction the. collar 1 22 will move vertical-1y upv ward rotating the shaft 38 in a-clockwise direc tion, (as viewed from- Figs.;l and 3)-:to raise the ladder; and that when the direction-oi rota-tion space betweenthe building and car when pas- Said bearing box is bolted to a strip -9 4- -bridging the channels 30, 32 of-the-lower- -most ladder section 126 near-.therocking shaft .88. llhe rod 82 is driven through a gear-train ,GQmpr-isinga .cogwheel 9 6 and pinion-98 by-a reversible electric motor I00 having self-contained I l reduction gearing and housed in a casing-1.02 se- .cured'to the bottom of the lowermostfladderseeof -the-rod H4 is reversed, the ladder will be brought down to horizontal position.

Further inaccordance with my invention I provide a unique means for moving the elevator along the ladder, which means is sewnstructed and arranged thatextension or re traction of the uppermost ladder section will not afiect the vertical position of the elevator cable runs fromone side'of the drum through an aperature I38 in the turntable top and thence through a hardenedeye I38 (Figs. 5 and'9) in a strip I40 on the lowermostladder section. From here it is guided byan idling pulley I42, journalled on said section, to the elongated'passage-way I43 (Figs. 8 and 9) between the flat base flange of one of the channels 30 of the lowermost section and the bellied base flange of one of the channels 56 of the uppermost section. After emerging from the top of said passageway the cable is directed back into the passageway by the pulleys I44, I45. The cable is then led around a large sheave I48 journalled on the fishtail 86 of the extensible section 26 which guides the cable up into the elongated passageway I49 on-the opposite side of the ladder. This vertical run of the cable is supported at its top end by a pulley I50 mounted on the top of the uppermost ladder section '28' and tilted about the longitudinal axis of the ladder to cause the cable leaving said pulley to clear the back of the ladder. From this pulley the cable extends down behind the tube 88 and shaft 82 to a yoke I52 pinned to the elevator truck 62. The other end of the'cable I34 runs from the winch drum I32 through an aperture I54 in the turntable 50 and between two pulleys I56, I58 to a heavy tension spring I60 depending from the bottom of the-elevator truck 62.

The foregoing combination of sheaves, pulleys, cable, and drum comprises a cable drive which is so compensated that the cable run between the pulleys I58 and I50 will not move, al-

though its length will'change when the exered, and the ladder may be extended or retracted independently of each others operation. This set-up is of considerable assistance in the manipulation of the ladder and elevator, since it permits the ladder to be raised with great rapidity without the necessity of watching or controlling the car, a factor which heretofore has always afiected extension of i the ladder. It will be understood that the elevator is raised or lowered by simply turningthe motor I28 in the proper direction, this operation being independent of extension or retraction of the ladder.

Normally, the spring I60 supplies suflicient tension to securely snub the cable I34 around the winch drum so that the drum serves as an anchor to firmly hold ends of the cable extending therefrom and acts as a fixed p'ointin the compensating drive. However, when the car I4 is near the top of the uppermost ladder section 28, and suchsection is retracted, the tension. of

other for reverse.

w 1n addition to a motor and source of power, a

the cable run from thepulley-fiito'the winch drum will be slightly lessened since said'pulley will engage the truck .62 and-slack on this run. This will permit the cable toslip about the Winch drum so that, as-the' top ladder descends with M the (car at the top thereofgthe car will come down without snapping-the cable. 'As soon as the retraction of the ladder I60 willabsorb any slackf I Each of the electric motors I 00, I04, H0, and I28 is provided withtwo circuits -for energizing t e same from a, source of electric power, one of the circuits being for forward drive and the The circuits each include,

stops, the spring limit switch, hereinafter described, and a plurality of manually operable,electrically interlocked, remote control switches consisting of push buttons P (Fig. 3) on apanel I62 in the turntab e base I8, push buttons P (Fig: 5) on a panel I64 in the elevator -car l4, and push-buttonsP (Fig. 3) on 'a hand grip I66conne'cted in the circuit by an electric cable I68. These switches are of any'type, well known to'the art,

' such that, if any of them, for example the button which would cause the ladder section 28 to be extended, is pusl'ied,mi'button on either of the panels I62, I64, orjgrip I66,f'who se actuation wouldcause the saidladder section to be'retracted, canJbe depressed or, if it can be depressed, it would not-Icause the motor I00 to be: stopped or reversed. In other-words, the switches are such thatwhen oneof them, who'se actuation would cause a motor to' turnin one direction, is operated no otherv switch, which \vo111d causethat motor to turnj 'in the opposite ell di ction; can be effectively operated. I

The reversible ,mo tors may be] of any type well 'known to the art,as for example of the reversing I field type or'the type having two fields which can be independently energized. The 'circuits foreach motor may be wholly independent'ofeach other or may include a common lead in accordance with standard practice.

If desired, certain of th remotecontrol switch buttonsmay be omittedfrorn the elevator panel I64 or a master control provided ,whichis operable from the turntable base I 8 and which can cut out either or both the controls on the elevator panel I64 and hand grip I66, 4

As indicated above, means is provided tolimit the various movements of the elevator and ladder.

Such means comprises a plurality of limit switches The limit switch for dfiningthe upper and lower angular positions of thela'dder section26 consists of a'housing I10 (Fig. 12) having pairs of normally closed electrical contacts I12 I14 at its lower and upper ends respectively. A plunger I16,

' mounted for reciprocation in said housin has means, such as insulating separating fingers I11, on its upper and lower surface which are' adapted to open either one of the pairs of closed contacts I12, I14 when brought into engagement therewith. The plunger is biased; to engagement with the lower pair of the closed contacts I12 by .a spring 119 and is operated bye "shaft 118 which projects from the top of the-housing I10, A cam rider I80, fixed on the plunger shaft I18, rests on a rocker arm I82 carried bythe-rocking shaft 38.

' 1 atte tthe.1:springI-19 servin'gtormaintainsaidirider and by ashaft from the samemotor (not-shown) as arm in contact; Said-rocker arm is so angularly; arranged on the rocking shaftthatjwhen the lad- 'der- I 2 is disposedpintermediateits-extrem pr e- .termined upper -andi lower positions the plunger I16 will-engage neither of-the;contacts I12, I14; but that when it reaches either such position it. will engage and open the proper contacts and' energizing circuit whichcausesthe motor I I2 to; 10

I move the ladder section :28 z-in such direction.-

The other 'limit switches may be .of an essentiallyv similar-construction,- although the particu lar means for correlatingtheir operation with the; predetermined limit of movement ofthe element:

being =controlled--maybe; somewhat modified;

that employed-to-thefire truck, A clutch C :may: be interposed between said generator and motor.

,It will be noted'thatI-ordinarily the elevator car I4 hangs vertically from the tip of the truck arm 68.; Although this conducive to-s'afe operation, it detracts from rigidity and compactness of the ladderextends horizontally, with its tip resting from itsrnormal positiong To turn the arm I88 in suchmannera pair of pins l 90'a're mounted upon theclamp plate 124111 the pathof movement of said armfi These twoypins are about -180'apart since this is all the-swinging imovementtrequired of the turntable. Whentthe arm I88 encounters one of thepins; itlturns the "shaft I88 and opens the circuit causing-the rnotor I 04 to .drive the turntable inthat-di-rection. The opposite action takes placewhen thearm contacts the other ping:

The limit-switch-for controlling extension and retraction lot --the top ladder section 28 likewise includes a switch casing. v .I 02 (Fig, .11 in which 1 the usual normallyclosed contacts are housedi The vOperating shaft" l;94 fcr this limit switchilies (in the passageway I 43, andie. slidably supported at its upper end by aguide I36. Tw o stop pieces I98 are secured to said} rod I94, (the -distance therebetween equalling 'the desired travel of the upper ladder section 28. apertured ear-ZO II at the bottomof the top ladder section 2 8 ncir,c le s 1 approaches the bottom-6f; its travel the car will depress said shaft,separating-the -loweg pair of 7 contacts. The p1unger, which is -supported y said :shaft and carries the separating fingers, is biased to a normal position intermediate the con The limit-meansfor preventing- 'overtravel of theelevator I4 preferably comprises ,two normally closed push buttontype switches S, Sflone near the tip of the ,top -laddergsection andthe other near the base of the bottom ladder -section,-oneof the switches being connected in each of r the two opposite driving energizing circuits forgthe motor for effccting movement of the'ladderandelevator has a non-reversiblegear element of la'rgefriction loss, comprising a'worm fgear and warm wheel W', inits self-contained;reduction train V 1. 0. t wh n a motor-is deenersizedbrcperation of 1a, limitswitchor button the elevator: or ladder will stop and the same willfnot' slideback. i The sources of electric .1 energy? *for; the:- electric Each of the grammars Ina-1'04; 1 I0, arid-I23 -and;collars. The-intermediate ladder section 304 1 on thevsupport 202-. Such-means may comprise a pairof spaced cams 204 (Fig. 5) which cooperate with a pair of .rollers 206 extending from opposite sides of the elevator car I4. The cam isso arranged that if the elevator is at the bottom of its travel and. the ladder then angularly lowered, the rollers will contact the tips of the cams 204 and be guided down to .stops 208 at the bases of said cams this latter position being indicatedby the dotted lines-in Fig. 5.

InFi'gs. l3 throughlfi I have disclosed a modi fied form of my invention comprising an apparatus 300 which is essentially similar to the.ap-'

paratus I0,just described, in 'all details except which may all 'be telescoped -from-fully-extended position, indicated in Fig. 13-, to fully retracted .16) are outwardly bellied. Rungs 3I4 (Fig; 1-4) are welded to the front facesiof the front flanges of -said channels. The intermediate ladder section includes two spaced channels3l6, 3I8 having'flat webs, and thetop-section 306 includes two spaced channels .322, 324 having inwardly bellied webs 326. The several-channels of the ladder sections 302-'-306 are arranged in nested relationship to facilitate telescoping.- Due to the,

bellying of the channels, apair of elongated passageways 328,- 330 are formed-oniboth sides of .the ladder which enclose andconceal the cable which is used'to raiseand'lcwervthe elevator car. The means fordextending and retracting theladder sections includes an electric motor 332 mounted onflthe bottom of the lower ladder sec tion 302 andhoused in a casing 333. .Said motor collar 338' at the 'base of "a hollow externally threaded shaft 330 having atop flange 340. Said second shaft'isthreadedly received in a tapped collar; 342 at the base'of another hollow shaft 344 which'is pinned at its upper end to. alug 346 at the top of thetop ladder section 306. The shafts" 334, 330, 344 are heavily" oiled to prevent I vibration andchattering. Obviously; rotation of the inner-shaft 334-wil1 "cause'the three shafts to triple their telescoped length, separation there- .of beingprevented by abutment of the cap, flange will be. raised, after the top ladder" section 306 has moved beyond;it-,-bylugs 34! at the base. of

A cable 350, which is driven by'a-winch-drumand electric motor (not shown), operates the elevator 35I through an H-truck 352. Thecompensating pulley system for said cable differs somewhat from the earlier describedcable system in that it is necessary, where three ladder sections are moved, to compensate for. both theintermediate section and the top section. To this end, the cable 350, after leaving the winch drum and passing through the top plate of the turn table, runs in the following manner: thrbugh a central hardened eye 354 at the base of the bottom ladder section 302, over anidling pulley 356 at the base of the same section and adjacent the channel 38, up a passageway 328 on one side of the ladder, over an idling pulley 358 and around an idling pulley 360 at the top of/said channel,

back down the passageway 328, around a compensating pulley 382 at the bottom of the inter mediate ladder section 304, up the passageway 328. on the opposite side of the ladder, overan idling pulley 364 and around an idling'pulley 366 at the top of the intermediate ladder section, down the passageway 33!] on the same side of the ladder, around a compensating pulley 368 at the bottom of the top ladder section, up the opposite passageway 330, around the rearwardly inclined pulley am at the top of the top ladder section, and finally down to the top of the elevator truck 352. The other end of 'the cable is attached to a spring 312 dependent from the bottom of the truck 352. and is guided by a pulley 3'14 back down through the top of the turntable plate to the winch.

This cable compensating system operates to maintain the elevator 35l at'a constant height despite extension and retraction of the ladder sections, the run of the cable from the pulley 310 to the pulley 3T4 changing in length but not moving as the ladder sections are extended and retracted. This change in length is compensated for by the change in length of the cable runs between the pulley 360 and compensatingpulley 362 and the pulley 366 and compensating p lley 368.

It will thus be seen that I have provided devices which achieve the, several objects of this invention and which are well adapted to meet the conditions, of practical use. 1, As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination in an extensible fire ladder, a plurality of elongated ladder sections adapted to be moved along their longitudinal axes relative to one another, a support for said sections, means to pivotally mount one of said sections on said support for rotation about a horizontal axis, means including an electric motor to exclusively relatively longitudinally move said sections, means including a second electric motor to exclusive- 1y swing said first named sections on said support about said horizontal axis, a base, means to mount said support on said base for rotation relative thereto about a vertical axis, and means including a third electric motor for exclusively rotating said support about said axis.

tive to one anothena support for said sections,

2. Aflre ladder as, set .forth in claim lqwherein a'gear trainis disposed between-eachof the elec;-:

tricmotors and its-associated operating means, said gear train being drivable by said motors but not by their associated operating means-ll.

3. A fire ladder as set forth in claim ltwherein all of the electric motors are remotely controllable by a person or the ladder. i i .1

4.. A fire ladder as set forth in claim 1 wherein allthe electric motors'are optionally operable by remote control from a plurality of stations.

5. .A fire ladder as set forth in claim 1 wherein all the'electric motors are optionally but non-con flictably operable by remote control from a plurality of stations.

. ,6. A fire ladderas set forth in claimlwh'erein means'is provided to predeterminedly limit the relativemovement of the ladder sections by cutting oif electric power to the motor causing relative movement of the ladder sections when the predetermined limits of movement 'ofsaid sections are reached, i

. 7. A fire ladder there are provided an elevator car to movejup and down the ladder, an electric motor forv moving said car; and means to predeterminedly limit the movement of said car by cutting off electric power to said motor when the predetermined limits of movement of said car are reached.

8. A'fire ladder as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electric motor for effecting relative movement of the ladder sections is mounted on the first named ladder section and the remaining electric motors are mounted on-the support. i

9. A fire ladder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the. means for effecting relative movement of the ladder sections comprises an elongated shaft, rotated by the electric motor included in said means and means mounted on one of said ladder sections and cooperating with said shaft to transpower for the electric motors comprises a generatorsupported motor. '12. In combination in an extensible fire ladder, aplurality. of elongated ladder sections adapted to be moved along their longitudinal axes relaon saidchassis and driven by said means to pivotally mount one of said sections .on

said support, meansto relatively longitudinally move said sections, means to swing said first section about said support, a base, means to mount said support on said base for rotation relative thereto about a vertical axis, means for rotating said support about said axis, an extensible track move said sections, means to swing said first section about said support, a. base,means to mount said support on said base for rotation relative asset forthin claim 1 wherein oisaid'ladder sections;- a

associated.- with said. ladder sections. an-televatorl' carwhichrrides along said trackgand meanstoi move said car. along said track; said lastcnaz'nedi means including a compensating cable system;

14. In? combination in anextensibiesfire ladder;

3 plurality of elongated ladder. sections adapted to be movedalong their longitudinal axes relative -.to one another, a support .forisaid sections, means to'pivotally mount one 'ofi'sai'd sections: on: said support,.. means' to relatively longitudinally move said sections;.means:.toswing said firstsem;

tion-about said support; abase, means. to mount. saidsupport on said base for rot-atlorrfrelative thereto about a vertical :axis, meansforrotatl'ng said support aboutzsaid axis, an extensible track, associated with i said ladder sections; an elevator:

car which ridesalongsaidtrack, andrmeans to;

t move said car along saidtrack', said. last named means, including. a compensating cable system which maintains said elevator at a constant height} while said ladder sections being relatively moved.

- 15.: In combination. in anceXteiisibletfire. ladder, a plurality of elongatedladdersectionsadapts edto'be moved along their longitudinal axes'rela tiveito. one another, a support'iforsaid sections-,1 means to pivotally mountcne of saidsections on said support, means torelatively-longitudinally move said sections, means tozswing said first seal-i tion about saidsupport, abuse, means to mount said support about saidaxis, :anv extensible track 1 associated withsaid'ladder-sections; an elevator, carwhich rides along. said track, and means to move said-car alongsaid track, said last named means includinga compensating cable system the cable whereof is contained in all longitudinal'runs except that which directly supports the car be-j tween adjacent longitudinally extending portions 16., In combination inzaii extensible: nre-ladderi' a plurality of elongated ladder sections adapted to be: moved along. theinlongitudinal. axes relative to one another, a support-:forsaid; sections, means topivotally-mount one of-said section's on said I support, means toxrelativelylongitudinally :move said. sections, meansio-swing said first-section thereto. about.a. vertica1-axis,. means for: rotating saidi'supportabout said-.axls-,:. extensible track,

including a compensating" cabl system which is resiliently'maintained.undertension.

17. In combination-in 'anrextensible fire ladder, a plurality. of elongated ladder SeCtiOtls adapted" to be'movedzalong their longitudinal axes relative to one'another, a supportfor said. sections, means:

to Divotally .mount' one'bfsaidsections on said support, means to relatively longitudinally move said: sections, means to. swingsaid first section support onsaidbase for rotation relative thereto. abouta'verticalaxis, means for rotating said support about said-axis, an extensibletrack assoeiated 'withtsaid ladder sections, an elevator. car which rides along said track, said car being freely pivotally mounted whereby it automatically. re-

mainsin upright position, and means tofswing said car to horizontal position against said lad-,

der whensaid ladder is lowered to-horizontal position and the'elevator is at the bottom of said lad- 18; In combinationin an extensible fire ladder, a plurality of elongatedrladder sections adapted to be moved along their longitudinal axes relative,

to one anothena support forsaid sections, means to pivotally mount one of said sections .on said support, means to relatively longitudinally move' said sections, means to swing said first section about said support, .a base, means to mountisai'd support on said base for'rotation relativethereto I about a vertical axis,.meansfor rotating-said sup '1 i said. support onsaid. base tor'rotation. relative thereto about a vertical axis, means for rotating.

about said support, a base, means to mount-said support on said base for rotation relativethereto about a vertical axis, means for rotating -.said support about.-.saidfaxis, an extensible track as; sociated withsaid ladder. sections',-an: elevator car which rides along said-track, and means-to move saidcar along said track, said last named means ated with said ladder' sections, an elevatorcar which rides along said-track, and means to move said car along said track, said lastv named means including a cable system thecable whereof-is contained in all longitudinal runs except that which directly supports: the. car between adjacent longi:

portions. of said ladder. secport about said axis, an extensible track associ-. atedwitn said ladder sections, an elevator car which rides'along said track, said car being freely pivotally mounted whereby it automatically remains in upright position, and damping means to prevent swaying of said car.

' 19; In combination inanextensible fire ladder, a plurality of; elongated ladder sections adapted to be'moved-along their longitudinal axes relative to one another, a'support' for'said sections, means to pivotally mount one of said sections on said support, means' to relatively longitudinally move said sections, means to swing said first section about'said support, a base, means to mount said support on said base forrotation relative thereto about a vertical axis, means for rotating said sup port about said axis, an extensible track associtudinally extending .tions. v I

- MORRIS HONIG.-

about saidsupport, a base, means to mount said 

